Weird flicker

[The Master]

Hi. Ive been making a circuit and ive started getting trouble with lights flickering. The chip does use PWM but the flicker is something different. The chip will work fine then for no aparent reason all the outputs will turn on and off rapidly (about 10 times a second). I had this problem when i was testing but only if i started unplugging the mains supply slowly. Could this be a brownout? The chips stop responding to the serial input. Whats the most likely cause? Programming error? Dodgy circuit?

Edit: In my circuit i have 2 chips and they both did the same thing at the same time. Weird

[mat janssen]

Show us your circuit and show us your code. The most here have no cristalball to see what you have on your desk.

[mister_e]

well, i think those having one got..

[The Master]

Sorry. I was just asking what the most likely one would be. Heres both anyways.

Now one chip doesnt seem to be responding at all

[mister_e]

can you reprogram it and tell what happen with the one who stop?

Board layout won't help, if you have access to a Schematic software, this would make things easier for us. or a scan of an hand-made one.

I usually start with schematic, then i observe the board layout, and then the code.. but it's me

[The Master]

I havnt got any scematic software yet. Im trying to get livewire though. I think i solved the random clicker prob. It seems that if i send chr(100) for 100% brightness the chips dont like it. I cant see why that would cause a problem but i changed the max to 99 and they dont go weird now.

I do still have a problem. Ive made a test app to send a few commands out and at one command everything sticks for a second. I think this might be to do with the app tho so hopefully ill have them all working soon :P

The chip that stopped responding was actually responding. The status light was flashing so i think it wasnt getting the right command or something. Oh well, nothing that a few late nights cant fix im sure